Sean Gallagher why is he doing so well in the polls?

hangon

This is not a troll i am genuinely puzzled.
what is the attraction to people?

Sunnyisland

hang on wrote: »

This is not a troll i am genuinely puzzled.
what is the attraction to people?

He seems the best alternative to a lot of people who don't agree with the other candidates for what ever reasons.

Oh_Noes

hangon wrote: »

This is not a troll i am genuinely puzzled.
what is the attraction to people?

The tone of your post reflects exactly how I feel about it. Like I'm missing something that everyone else is seeing or haven't been given the same info.

I'll be bemused if these poll results are reflected in the actual election.

Manach

He is not in one of the parties of the current government, which means that he benefits from people would be more inclined to give any independent a preference over FG/Lab.

Frankie Lee

Fluoride in the water is the only reason I can think of.

Inbox

Is it maybe like the Jackie Healy Rae et all scenario, 2 fingers to the establishment and all that.

mike65

He is a "fresh face", isn't seen as an utter bell end when faced with a camera or mic, he is the guilt free option for the Fianna Fail vote which btw hasn't gone away you know.

charlemont

I'm sure a lot of people feel they can relate to him, A lot to do with his appearance and apparent straight talking (Sh*t talk). He would strike people as the kind of bloke they could have a drink with (George Bush).

I'm not voting for him anyway as he is no different to a snake oil salesman.

Mardy Bum

Bad Faith.

We actually love FF.

Rachiee

probably because most people are ignorant to the fact that the irish president has no executive power and think that because he's a business man he will somehow stimulate jobs growth economy etc !!!

The polls were taken before there was a lot of talk about how closely he was linked in with fianna fail so there may be a difference between todays results and what will happen on thursday

but really I dont get it either

hangon

Oh_Noes wrote: »

The tone of your post reflects exactly how I feel about it. Like I'm missing something that everyone else is seeing or haven't been given the same info.

what puzzles me most is why people of any age cannot see by even reading a one page CV of all the candidates puts Michael D miles ahead in terms of a life dedicated to statesmanship and culture than the others?

Spacedog

If this string of pi*s gets elected, Ireland Burns!

jonniebgood1

hangon wrote: »

This is not a troll i am genuinely puzzled.
what is the attraction to people?

I think this is very interesting. He has focused fully on a positive message from the start, fully on the future. All of the other candidates have at some stage chosen to criticise others and I have'nt heard him do it. I expect that when the day approaches for voting undecided people may chose Higgins as a safer option. It may ultimately come down to who is seen to be further from the corridors of power (between higgins and SG) and SG seems to be winning that at the moment.

hangon

jonniebgood1 wrote: »

I think this is very interesting. He has focused fully on a positive message from the start, fully on the future. All of the other candidates have at some stage chosen to criticise others and I have'nt heard him do it. I expect that when the day approaches for voting undecided people may chose Higgins as a safer option.

if the two polls out today are to be believed there is only 10% of the vote to be decided which would still allow SG to be elected.

It may ultimately come down to who is seen to be further from the corridors of power (between higgins and SG) and SG seems to be winning that at the moment.

thank you as i said i am just trying to understand how it has swung so much to him.

swampgas

hangon wrote: »

[...] as i said i am just trying to understand how it has swung so much to him.

Given the current times, it may well be a protest vote (i.e. anyone but an establishment figure - with their huge salaries and pensions, etc.) or it could be misplaced hope that an "entrepreneur(*)" in the Áras would somehow help fix the economy and create jobs.

The fact that so many of the other contenders are virtually unelectable doesn't hurt his chances either.

(*) I don't think he's a great role model for successful businesses, but it looks like he has managed to sell himself as that to a big chunk of the population.

gandalf

swampgas wrote: »

The fact that so many of the other contenders are virtually unelectable doesn't hurt his chances either.

I think this is the main reason. He appears to be the best of in some cases an extremely bad bunch.

swampgas

gandalf wrote: »

I think this is the main reason. He appears to be the best of in some cases an extremely bad bunch.

It really brings into question the method used to select candidates - there has to be a better way than the current crazy system.

Pj!

Tis because hes yer man off de telly!

He's as low as 2/9 with the bookmakers who are usually correct at this stage of the betting.

He's a good man I'm sure but does he have the credentials of Michael D. Higgins for such a role? Of course not.
I really don't know what he can bring to the role that makes him such a poll topper.

ninebeanrows

Pj! wrote: »

Tis because hes yer man off de telly!

He's as low as 2/9 with the bookmakers who are usually correct at this stage of the betting.

He's a good man I'm sure but does he have the credentials of Michael D. Higgins for such a role? Of course not.
I really don't know what he can bring to the role that makes him such a poll topper.

Gallagher had drifted to 5/2 moments before the release of Todays poll, after the last poll he shorted to 1/2 and drifted all week.

He is going to drift right up until Election Day, but he will still win and win comfortably.

How? Why? Gives me the shivers.

hangon

gandalf wrote: »

He appears to be the best of in some cases an extremely bad bunch.

but such a relatively young man with little experience in an office with such little power, surely he would be frustrated?

i do not understand him going for the post,i do with MD and in the case of MD would trust him in a Constitutional crisis.honestly i do not know a more suited candidate.
time and time again in Irelands history people have been elected to high office due to image rather than record, we are not going to do it again are we?:(

Pj!

hangon wrote: »

,i do with MD and in the case of MD would trust him in a Constitutional crisis.honestly i do not know a more suited candidate.

This

oppenheimer1

In an Ireland that is consumed with daily negative news, Gallagher has pushed a positive message, entirely focussed on the future which he says will be better. Despite the people who seem to revel and delight in gloom on Irish forums, most people actually prefer positivity! He hasn't criticised, directly or indirectly, any of the other candidates either. His youth and profile, the jobs mantra and his business background also help.

This is what has set him apart imo.

puffdragon

gandalf wrote: »

I think this is the main reason. He appears to be the best of in some cases an extremely bad bunch.

I beg to differ my friend , up here in "the sticks" of Donegal we can still clearly see the woods through the trees , although I may not be as politically astute as some others here, we in our apparent ignorance can still recognise a genuine article when we see one , I recently was in a pub where certain people came in and said to me and others and these are their exact words"we are about to pull off the biggest political coup of all time , we are going to elect Sean Galagher as President , I think my dirty look diden't quite do the job so I eventually told him to try sell his bul****t somewhere else since Gallagher had denounced Fianna Fail since the beginning and his boasting was to say the least embarrasing.

hangon

puffdragon wrote: »

we still recognise a genuine article when we see one ,

I like this!:)

nesf

Look at how the candidates lay out politically. You've McGuinness on the hard left, Norris and Higgins both firmly on the left, Dana and Mitchell on the conservative right and Davis espousing a weak leftish centrism. Gallagher has the centre/centre-right all to himself. I'm firmly convinced that if someone like Cox had gotten the nod from FG that Gallagher would be having a much tougher time of it.

Right now, excluding Davis as a non-entity along with Dana, you have the extremes taken up by Mitchell and McGuiness with the vote splitting down left vs centre/centre-right lines with Norris and Higgins splitting the left vote (though Norris should transfer strongly to Higgins).

Looking at how we voted last time out with most of the centre vote leaning right this isn't overly surprising. That and people seem to warm more to job centric rhetoric over social economy rhetoric right now. Things like fairness etc are the concerns of a nation back at work not one drawing the dole.

raymon

I think he is running , a campaign of misinformation and people are believing it .

I am amazed.

Successful businessman , untrue
Bought farm at 21 , untrue
Left activity in FF in 2009 untrue
Smarthomes is the fastest growing technology company in Ireland , untrue

On top of that violations of company law , reports that his business advice is useless , and a general dishonesty makes me sick

I can not believe that the guy could be president , it truly makes me sad for Ireland

puffdragon

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

In an Ireland that is consumed with daily negative news, Gallagher has pushed a positive message, entirely focussed on the future which he says will be better. Despite the people who seem to revel and delight in gloom on Irish forums, most people actually prefer positivity! He hasn't criticised, directly or indirectly, any of the other candidates either. His youth and profile, the jobs mantra and his business background also help.

This is what has set him apart imo.

Yeah Yeah ,Are you in Maynooth College by any chance? I caught his visit/pre arranged whistle stop there on RTE/FiannaFail radio where all the lovely young ones were so eloquent and well spoken in their admiration of such a great candidate, sorry doesn't cut much ice with an old campaigner like me.

Bergkamp 10

puffdragon wrote: »

Yeah Yeah ,Are you in Maynooth College by any chance? I caught his visit/pre arranged whistle stop there on RTE/FiannaFail radio where all the lovely young ones were so eloquent and well spoken in their admiration of such a great candidate, sorry doesn't cut much ice with an old campaigner like me.

all the candidates have those sort of luvvy duvvy things.

maddragon

I'm glad that I am gone out of the Defence Forces on 30 Nov. The thought of having a johnny come lately like Gallagher with no record of public service, as the commander in chief makes me ill. I think Jedward have done more for the country than Gallagher. Really, the quality of candidates for the first citizen of our country is appalling. Michael D is the only one who deserves to be on the ballot paper.

oppenheimer1

puffdragon wrote: »

Yeah Yeah ,Are you in Maynooth College by any chance? I caught his visit/pre arranged whistle stop there on RTE/FiannaFail radio where all the lovely young ones were so eloquent and well spoken in their admiration of such a great candidate, sorry doesn't cut much ice with an old campaigner like me.

No I'm not a campaigner in this election or any election for that matter, nor do I attend NUIM. You might not like what I have posted but can you find fault with it? All I have done is state Gallaghers message, not whether it is true or false or whether I agree with it or not.

But you are a campaigner, would you care to make a declaration of interest then?

BEASTERLY

hangon wrote: »

but such a relatively young man with little experience in an office with such little power, surely he would be frustrated?

i do not understand him going for the post,i do with MD and in the case of MD would trust him in a Constitutional crisis.honestly i do not know a more suited candidate.
time and time again in Irelands history people have been elected to high office due to image rather than record, we are not going to do it again are we?:(

Are you forgetting the fact that he is a super left crowd pleaser. Who supports things like shell to sea and is anti-american, or anything that will gain him popularity.

Why are people voting for SG? Because people see him as the only one who wont damage our reputation abroad. That would be a major fear for me with all 6 of the other candidates.

It's funny how Michael D's very questionable politics(his words and actions, not just a vague affiliation with a party) hasn't been put in the spotlight.

Sierra Oscar

Because he is being positive, and has remained surprising positive in the face of savage media attacks - something which no other candidates have been able to do.

maddragon

My father (a diehard and lifetime Fianna Fail supporter, oh the shame) went to St Flannans College in Ennis with Michael D. He describes him as one of the most decent and honourable men he ever met. He never voted for him before as he was in the wrong party lol but is delighted to get the opportunity to do so now.

hangon

maddragon wrote: »

Michael D is the only one who deserves to be on the ballot paper.

I would not agree with that TBH but is'nt it time the 'no hopers' pulled out?
Michael D asked Labour led Councils to give D Norris a spot on the ballot paper, now that he has no hope should he not withdraw and ask his supporters to give their number ones to MD.?
Dana should do the same(i would guess vast majority of her number 1's would mainly go to Mitchell) but it would make the field less muddy.

passarellaie

The reason so many IRISH people are voting for Gallagher is the reason why this country is doomed to neverending FAILURE.We are for the most part FFers who intrinsically know how to fool us and obtain power.When they acheive this then they SCREW US FOR EVERYTHING WE GOT and we lie down like the jews in ths NAZI concentration camps mere lambs

oppenheimer1

hangon wrote: »

I would not agree with that TBH but is'nt it time the 'no hopers' pulled out?
Michael D asked Labour led Councils to give D Norris a spot on the ballot paper, now that he has no hope should he not withdraw and ask his supporters to give their number ones to MD.?
Dana should do the same(i would guess vast majority of her number 1's would mainly go to Mitchell) but it would make the field less muddy.

They can't withdraw. Their names would still appear on the ballot even if they wanted to throw in the towel.

Manach

If a candidate does get below a certain percentage of the vote, is their deposit lost?

oppenheimer1

passarellaie wrote: »

The reason so many IRISH people are voting for Gallagher is the reason why this country is doomed to neverending FAILURE.We are for the most part FFers who intrinsically know how to fool us and obtain power.When they acheive this then they SCREW US FOR EVERYTHING WE GOT and we lie down like the jews in ths NAZI concentration camps mere lambs

Ah the pubs have closed I see.

CJL

Until recently , I had no idea who Sean Gallaher was. I was discussing the Presidential election with some friends and one of my pals seemed to be in awe of Mr. Gallaher. I am very surprised with the Irish Times predictions as they feel that Mr Gallaher will indeed be Ireland`s next president.:)

oppenheimer1

Manach wrote: »

If a candidate does get below a certain percentage of the vote, is their deposit lost?

There is no deposit. If a candidate fails to get a quarter of a quota at any stage in the counts, then they do not get a refund of their expenses (up to €200k).

hangon

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

They can't withdraw. Their names would still appear on the ballot even if they wanted to throw in the towel.

i know and i am not trying to be clever but if Candidates pulled out i would trust the Electorate to know about it.

jimmycrackcorm

His positioning changed after the VB debate. My own thoughts are that people identify with him for his youth and expressed positiveness in a time when we have no political focal point in this economic crisis. I think Nesf has hit the nail on the head about the political layout.

The whole Gallagher / FF emphasis is a red herring. E.g. no one goes around referring to Sinn Fein/IRA as their party name any more. People feel they punished FF in the GE; Gallagher wasn't even a TD and I suspect a fair number of the million or whatever voters who voted in FF over three elections would view a vote against him as self-criticism.

Also, a lot of the criticism of Gallagher has come very late when people are weary of the media using the campaign just to generate news. Norris took one for the team on that score early on and by the time the media went through McGuinness, Dana and Davis, people are just viewing anything turning up now as just newsprint.

Most of all, this is a personality contest. Micheal D would probably breeze through but his age indicates to people that it's a retirement cruise.

Sierra Oscar

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

The whole Gallagher / FF emphasis is a red herring. E.g. no one goes around referring to Sinn Fein/IRA as their party name any more. People feel they punished FF in the GE; Gallagher wasn't even a TD and I suspect a fair number of the million or whatever voters who voted in FF over three elections would view a vote against him as self-criticism.

Indeed - I think the whole FF connection really is not harming Gallagher all that much, mainly due to the fact that he was never an elected representative for FF. Gallagher has used every media attack to his advantage - by choosing to respond in a constructive and positive manner . . . the sort of characteristics that the electorate want right now. The attention on his FF connections have also actually taken from the debate surrounding what he actually stands for.

Also, people tend to forget that in the past every Tom, Dick & Harry were members of Fianna Fáil at a local level or involved with the party at some stage during their lives.

maddragon

Good analysis jimmycrackcorm.

headmaster

The people who thought FF were gone from irish politics have just found out how strong the party and the organisation really is. Yes, they've been punished, by their own and others, now, the road to recovery is about to be taken. First stop, The Aras.

hangon

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

His positioning changed after the VB debate. My own thoughts are that people identify with him for his youth and expressed positiveness in a time when we have no political focal point in this economic crisis.

the audacity of hope?

Most of all, this is a personality contest. Micheal D would probably breeze through but his age indicates to people that it's a retirement cruise.

I think you have hit the nail on the head there,if MD looses because of age over all his positive's it will be ageism SG not the best person for the job IMHO.

Jesus Wept

Michael D all the way.

doubleglaze

Is it Gallagher's looks?
Relative youthfulness?
Personality?
Intellect?
Vision?
Positivity?
....?


For the life of me, I can't see anything suitable about him.

Jimoslimos

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Micheal D would probably breeze through but his age indicates to people that it's a retirement cruise.

Y'know, I'm kind of the opinion that the presidency, the top job in the country, should be the LAST position anyone holds before retiring. A fitting reward for a life dedicated to public service.

In 7-14 years time I don't particularly want to see SG (or anyone else) using it for their own personal, political or financial gain. It cheapens the position if SG ends up handing out business cards with 'Entrepeneur, Dragon & ex-president of Ireland' at trade-expos

Other than Mary Robinson, what has any other former president done after leaving office?

headmaster

doubleglaze wrote: »

Is it Gallagher's looks?
Relative youthfulness?
Personality?
Intellect?
Vision?
Positivity?
....?


For the life of me, I can't see anything suitable about him.

You forget one thing, he's a FF'r and we take care of our own. Some silly people thought there was no back, how wrong they were, how very, very, wrong. Great stunt by M Martin, fooled ya, didn't he? Ha ha ha

jimmycrackcorm

headmaster wrote: »

The people who thought FF were gone from irish politics have just found out how strong the party and the organisation really is. Yes, they've been punished, by their own and others, now, the road to recovery is about to be taken. First stop, The Aras.

I think you are overselling the power of FF. Remember that in the GE, people significantly still voted for the same type of policies that FF had undertaken. They didn't turn round and undertake a protest vote against the bank bailout for example, not that there was a choice in any case. We still have a centre-right government.

When people form opinions about this being some sort secret FF plot to gain control again they forget two things... a) Voting anyone from any political background is meaningless ( though I do wonder about McGuinness and the power to pardon Garda McCabes killers under Article 13.6), and it's pretty insulting to consider every other voter unable to make a value judgment other than a form of political association.